The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine has appointed Sanjay Desai, M.D., M.A.C.P., chief academic officer of the American Medical Association, as vice dean for education.
In a statement issued December 29, the School of Medicine said Desai will oversee all education and training programs, including M.D., Ph.D., residency, postdoctoral, and online offerings. In this role, he will also work with institutional leaders to drive innovation, advance educational excellence, and enhance the learner experience.
“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Desai back to Johns Hopkins in this critical role,” said Theodore L. DeWeese, dean of the medical faculty and CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine. “Dr. Desai is a visionary educator and leader whose record of innovation, collaboration and excellence will strengthen our educational mission and prepare the next generation of physicians and scientists to lead in medicine’s evolving landscape.”
An accomplished physician leader, educator, clinician, and researcher, Desai has played a significant role in shaping “medical education” nationally, the statement said. At the AMA, he oversees a broad innovation portfolio focused on precision education using artificial intelligence, in collaboration with a consortium of medical schools and health systems. He also leads accreditation-related activities through sponsorship of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, national policy development across the educational continuum, and the continuing medical education credit system.
Desai previously served as the Johns Hopkins Myron L. Weisfeldt Professor of Medicine, director of the Osler Medical Residency, and vice chair for education in the Department of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He held these roles prior to joining the AMA in October 2021, according to the statement.
“Widely recognized for his accomplishments across academic medicine, policy, clinical practice and health systems administration, his research focuses on generating high-quality data to inform policy and practice in medical education,” the statement added. “He has authored over 60 peer-reviewed publications, including articles in the New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA. Among his honors, he received the Professors’ Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.”
Desai graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with bachelor’s degrees in bioengineering and economics, with a concentration in health care management from the Wharton School of Business. He earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and completed his residency and subspecialty fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he also served as chief resident.



